Here is the official Afaan Oromoo translation of Gene Sharp’s influential book, From Dictatorship to Democracy. Three Oromo activists, Dr. Abdulsamad Mohammed Yusuf – a renowned linguist and author of Seerlugaa Afaan Oromoo (the first Oromo grammar book of its kind), Boruu Barraaqaa – an exprienced journalist and author of a recent book, Fixeensaa, and Jawar Siraj Mohammed – political analyst and student of nonviolent conflict, collaborated to produce this advanced translation of the book. The book titled, Sirna Abbaa-Irreetirraa Gara Dimokraasii in Oromo, is available for download free of charge from Albert Einstein Institution. Its also possible to order a hardy copy from the institution.
From Dictatorship to Democracy has been used as a manual for nonviolent movement around the world. The many strategies laid out in the book are repeatedly credited for the success of Egyptian revolution of 2011. Previously activists in Serbia, Georgia and Ukraine reportedly used Gene Sharp’s ideas to bring about democratic transition in those countries.
Ethiopia is grappling with brutal form of dictatorship. Free press and freedom of speech are non-existent. Ethiopian activists are calling for nonviolent revolution to end Meles Zenawi’s two decades of tyranny. The government have ramped up its rhetoric to preempt the occurrence of an Egyptian style popular revolution.
The Oromo, the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, have long been struggling against the economic exploitation, political repression, and cultural marginalization imposed on them by successive Ethiopian rulers. Over the last two weeks alone, close to one thousand Oromo students and activists have been arrested. Tension between students and government forces at major universities around the country is growing by the day. This new and easily readable translation of Gene Sharp’s book, which is also available in two other Ethiopian languages (Tigrigna and Amharic), will undoubtedly be an excellent contribution to accelerate the pace and wage a successful campaign of resistance.
As the struggle to uninstall Ethiopia’s dictatorship requires participation of all segment of the society, this book and other resources on nonviolent strategies need to be translated into many other Ethiopian languages, and made available to the population on the ground. The above mentioned translators have disclosed that they are working on translating study guides, videos, and articles into Afan Oromo.
Download FDTD here : Abbaa-Irreetirraa Gara Dimokraasii — Wixina Qabsoo Bilisummaatiif Malu
- From Dictatorship to Democracy – in Amharic
- From Dictatorship to Democracy – in Tigrigna
Excerpt from the book:
Waggoota muraasa dabran keessatti mootummoonni abbaa-irree bifa adda addaa qaban diddaa ummanni garsiiseen unkutaawanii kufaniiru. Hammamuu hundee cimtuu hin uggamne kan qaban fakkaatanillee mootumoonni abbaa-irree garii mormii ummanni gama siyaasaatiin, dinagdeefi hawaaasatiin bifa qindoomeen godhu ifirraa ittisuu hindandeenye. Fakkeenyaaf, bara 1980 irraa eegalee biyyoota akka Istooniya, Laatiiviyaa, Liituwaaniyaa, Poolaand, Jarman Bahaa, ChekozlovaakiyaafiSlooveeniyaa, Maadaagaaskaar, Maalii, BooliiviyaafiFilippiins keessatti mootummoonni abbootii irree diddaa ummataatiin kufaniiru.
Neeppaal, Zaambiyaa, Kooriyaa Kibbaa, Chiilee, Arjentiinaa, Heytii, Biraaziil, Uraagwaay, Maalaawii, Taaylaand, Bulgaariyaa, Hangaarii, Zaayer, Naayjeeriyaafi kanamalees Tokkummaa Sooviyeet Duraanii (USSR) keessatti bara 1991 mormiin karaa nagayaa ummatoota biyyoota kanneeniitiin godhamte biyyoota san gara ijaarsa sirna demokraasiitti ceesiseera. Dhihoottis China, BermaafiTiibeet keessatti mormiiwwan karaa nagayaatiin geggeeffaman matootii abbaa-irree taaytaarraa kaasuu hanqatanillee, gama tokkoon gara jabeenya cunqursaa matootii sanii hawaasa addunyaatiif saaxiluu danda’aniiru. Gama biraatiin ammoo ummatoonni rakkoolee siyaasaa walfakkaatoo jala jiran qabsoo jabeessanii akka itti fufaniif mooyxannoo kennanii dabaraniiru.
Kufaatii mootummoota abbaa-irree biyyoota gararretti himamanitin booda rakkoolee akka hiyyummaa, yakki, laafiinsi biirokraasii, faalamni naannoo uumamaafi kan kana fakkaatan yoggasuma dhabamaniiru jechuun hin danda’amu. Haa tahuu malee bittaan sirna cunqursaa ummatootarratti diriiree ture dhabamsiifamee mootummoonni dimokraatawoon mirgoota siyaaslee, bilisummaafi hawaaslee dhugoomsan bakka bu’aniiru.
